Controller construction



Feb. 25, 1930. WATSON 1,748,159

CONTROLLER CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 23. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR.

ATTORNE 6 Feb. 25, 1930. A, WATSON 1,748,159

CONTROLLER CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 25, 1926 2 SheetsSheet 2 INVENTOR.

BY gag M 5W ATTORNEY1 Patented Feb. 25, 1930 fhi UNlT'ED STATES Lnoir A. WATSON, or oLEvELANn, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE CLARK CONTROLLER oom- 1 PANY, F CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO PATENT OFFICE CONTROLLER CONSTRUCTION The presentinvention relates to manual controllers. forelectric machines and more particularly to the construction of the controller proper.

use is made of a pressed steel frame for carrying all of the controller parts including the resistance units, and the contact members, and in order to provide'the necessary rigidity for 'the-mountingof the operating mechanism, including the operating shaft with its this shaft. A cast spider construction is em- '7 description set forth in detail certain mecha- I ployed. which is securedto the pressed frame structure so as to provide a satisfactory bearing for the shaft and its operating parts. Torthe accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then consists of the means-hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims. I 1

' The'annexed drawing and the following nism embodying the invention, such disclosed IIlQaDSLCODStItHtIIIg, however,- but one of various-mechanical forms in which the principle of" the invention may be used. y "In said annexed drawing:

' iiFig. 1 is a rear perspective 'view'of the frame and operating mechamsm; Fig. 2 1s a side elevational view of suchframe, showing in dotted lines the complete unit; Fig. 3 is an elevationalview of the spider itself; Fig. 4

isa sectional view through the spider taken on thejline ll-40f Fig.3.; Fig. 5 is a section view: through the center of the spider showing the shaft contact arm and' operating pinion; and Fig. 6 isa rear elevational view ofthe frame, and operating mechanism.

The presenttype of frame construction is particularly adapted for electrical, control-' lers such asare used forcontrolling hoisting motors as well as alternating current types of motors, and the controller itself consists essentially of a frame which'has a base mem ber l of pressed steel witha turned'down flange so as-to space the base plate portion above the bottom of the member and to this base member is attacheda vertical supporting member or partition wall 2 provided with I flanges 8 extending at rightangles to the plane of the walllto aid in making the sup-' In thepresent construction,

port rigid. On this wall member 2 is mounted a top or. cover 4 which is also of pressed steel. The top and partition wall are welded together to form an integral unit and the wall together with its side flanges is likewise preferably welded to the base to form a light weight integral frame for the controller parts. On the rear side of the partition wall are ordinarily mounted the resistance units which are, of course, carried on a separate supporting frame which can be attached to the side inembersor flanges 3, lugs -6 being provided for this purpose. The base is provided with apertures 7 for the attachment of the resistance units. On the forward side of the partition wall, that is the left side, as shown in Fig. 2, is mounted the face plate 8 of the controller with its various contacts over which the contact arm of the controller movesto' make and break the Various circuits.

The partition wall is preferably provided near the top with two arcuate slots 10 and is also provided with an aperture about which ismounted a cast metal spider 11 which carries the controller operating mechanism.

. This spider is preferably a'casting so as to central hub portion 15 with the outer ring l6.v

This spider is also provided at the top with a hollow extension 17 and there is likewise a similar hollow extension 18 at the bottom. The spider is attached to the partition wall by means of a series of bolts 19 which pass through the. wall and into suitable threaded apertures formed in bosses 20 around the outer ring of the spider, these bosses being formed at the ends of the spokes so as to provide as stiff a structure as possible.

The hub 15 of the spider is a hollow exten-' sion 25 which is on the forward side of the partition wall and in this extension is mounted the operating shaft 26 for the controller, the shaft being carried in the'extension on a plain bearing 27 at one end and on a radial ball thrust bearing 28 at'the other end, this thrust bearing 28 being mounted in an en larged bore. 29 formed in the rear face of the hub 15. To form a dust proof bearing, the shaft 26 extends rearwardly beyond the face of the spider and is provided at its rear end with a pinion 30 which is keyed to the shaft,

the'key 31 being held in by a threaded bolt 32 and a washer 33, and this pinion is provided with a shoulder 34 to receive and hold a dust washer 35 between the face of the direction.

pinion and the circular face of the hub of the shaft 41 on which is carried the operating quadrant 42 having gear teeth 43 inmesh with the operating pinion on the shaft and this quadrant extends upwardly to a pointad acent the top of the frame and is provided- .with a downwardly extending aperture in' which the controller'handle 44 is fitted, this handle extending through a slot formed in the top plate so as to allow the quadrant to be rocked to rotate the operating shaft in'either The lower extension 18 of the spider is provided with the same type of subease of manually operating the controller shaft 41 as the top extension so as to allow the quadrantto'be mounted from the under side of the operating pinion if desired, and when so mounted the operating handle will extend through a slot 45 formed in the base portion of the frame and will extend below thisbase into an operating position.

By usinga pressed steel frame construction for the controller applicant is enabled to eliminate the usual heavy castings which have heretofore been employed, and by mounting a stiff spider on this'sheet steel frame, he has been able to obtain the necessary rigidity in the entire structure to properly support the operating shaft, and'the gearsfor rotating the same as well as for supporting the contact arm. The use of a cast'steel spider also 1 provides the necessary type of metal at the center of the controller as this metallic central portion is used to obtain the necessary magnetic field for the usual blow out coil which is employed in controllers of this kind. The use of a removable spider also allows a Y long bearingto be obtained for the operating shaft and further allows the use of a radial thrust bearing at one end which aids in the and makes it possible to easily dismount all of the parts of the controller if it is necessary to replace any of the operating parts.

Qther'modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims orv the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

, 1. A frame for electric controllers comprising a pressedsheet metal base, a vertical pressed sheet metal wall having end flanges at right angles to the plane of the wall, said wall having an aperture, a sheet metal top mounted on said wall and said flanges and having an elongated opening therein, a spider attached to said wall about said aperture and provided with a centrally located hollow extension, and having a stubshaft at the top, an operating shaft-mounted in said extension,

and carrying a gear, and an operating quadrant mounted on saidstubshaft and in mesh with said gear said quadrant being movable in said elongated opening. 7

2. In electric controllers of the character described, the combination of a sheet metal frame structure including a vertical Wall and a top at substantially right angles to said wall, said top having an elongated opening therein, a castmetal spider attached to said loo vertical wall within the confines ofsaid frame, 7 operating, mechanism carried by said spider,

and an actuating member in engagement with Q saidmechanism and movable in said elon,-

gated slot. 1 r 3. In electric controllers of the character described, the combination of a sheet metal.

frame structure including a vertical wall'havsing an aperture therein, and a top at substantially right angles to said wall, said top having an elongated openingtherein, a cast metal spider attached to said vertical wall within the confines of said frame, a lateral hollowex tension on said spider received in said aperture, an operating shaft carried by said exten sion, and an actuating member in engagement 7 with said shaft and movable in said elongated opening. V I I I 4. In electric controllers of thecharacter described, the combination of a sheet metal frame structure including a vertical wall having an aperture therein, and a .top at substantially right angles to said wall, said top having an elongated opening therein, a-cast" metal spider attached to said vertical wall within the confines of said frame, said spider iio providing a plurality of transverse journals,

an operating shaft'mounted in one of said journalsand an actuating member for said;

shaft'mounted in another of said journals,

said member being movable in said elongated opening.

Y 5. In electric controllers of the character described, the combination ofa sheet metal frame structure including a vertical wall having an aperture therein, and a top at substantially right angles to said wall, said'top hav ing an elongated opening therein, a cast metal spider attached to said vertical wall within the confines of said frame, a lateral hollowj extension on said spider received in said aperture, an operating shaft OurnaIe'd 1n said extension, a second extension provided on said 

